1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a print system for printing images by a printer to which at least two image data outputting apparatuses are connected and image data is transferred from each of the image data outputting apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, for example, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7 (1995)-141276, a print system which prints images by transferring image data from each of a plurality of image data outputting apparatuses which have been connected to one printer is known.
In the conventional print system having such a plurality of image data outputting apparatuses connected to one printer, the following two methods are used as printing methods of the image data transferred from each image data outputting apparatus.
One is a method in which when the image data is transferred from each image data outputting apparatus, printing preparation of a recording sheet such as a film and a recording paper for printing the image data is started upon completion of the transfer of the image data. Specifically, the recording sheet of a print size (output size) of the image data is fed from a tray and carried to a printing unit, and after the printing preparation of the recording sheet is completed, printing is performed. The other is a method in which at the start of the transfer of the image data, printing preparation of the recording sheet having a print size of the image data is started, completion of the transfer of the image data is awaited, and then the printing operation is performed.
In either one of the above-described methods, printing preparation start timing of the recording sheet is fixed, and in the image data transfer from any one of the image data outputting apparatuses, in the former method, the printing preparation of the recording sheet is always performed upon completion of transfer of the image data. Meanwhile, in the latter method, the printing preparation of the recording sheet is always performed when transfer of the image data is started.
In the former method, the printing preparation is always started after transferring of the image data is complete. This enables printing of the image data in the order of completing transfer of the data and also enables observation of the images in this order. However, since the printing preparation of the recording sheet is performed after transferring of the image data is completed, there is a problem in that the start of the printing is delayed by the recording sheet being prepared. Therefore, the observation timing of the images is delayed in comparison with a case where the printing is initiated immediately after the transfer of the image data.
In the latter method, at the time when transfer of the image data is started, the printing preparation of the recording sheet is started. Therefore, the printing preparation of the recording sheet and transfer of the image data can be performed simultaneously, and printing is started immediately after the completion of transfer of the image data. Although this makes it possible to observe the images earlier, this also causes a problem that the images can not be printed and observed in the order that the image data had been transferred. That is, generally, transfer time of the image data is varied among each image data outputting apparatus and the print size of each image data is also different in many cases. For example, if transfer of image data from a device having a long transfer time is previously started, the printing preparation of the recording sheet of a print size of the image data is started at the start of the transfer. Hence, when transfer of the image data is started from a device having a short transfer time and its transfer is completed earlier than the previous one, printing of the latter image data can not be performed. This is because the printing preparation of the recording sheet of the print size of the former image data which has been previously transferred is already performed. Therefore printing of the latter data cannot be performed until after transfer and printing of the former image data is completed, even if transfer of the latter image data has been previously completed. As a result, although the transfer of the latter image data has been previously completed, printing and observation of the image cannot be performed, until printing of the former image data, for which transfer is completed later, is finished.
Moreover, in the latter method in which printing preparation of the recording sheet is started at the start of transfer of the image data, if the printing of the image data is canceled after starting transfer of the image data and the print size of the canceled image data and the print size of the following image data are different from each other, the prepared recording sheet is not applied for printing and is discharged from the printer to prepare the recording sheet having the print size of the next image data to be printed thereon. This is a waste of the prepared recording sheet.